MKHIBEE
24-03-2022, 12:38 PM
It’s eye-opening just how many hours of footage are trawled over in the pursuit of finding a weakness that could potentially swing a game.
Gormal worked at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers when Maloney was also doing his apprenticeship and his knowledge is impressive. Their connection is strong — it has to be when they work so closely together.
A loud knock at the door shifts attention.
Assistant Gary Caldwell peers in as the light quickly brightens up the room. “Fly on the Wings of Love” is playing in the gym nearby.
“Good timing,” Maloney says, as one of his young players also comes into view.
“You should have gambled here,” the manager says, pointing to a clip of an attacking phase on the screen.
“Where?” the player asks.
“Here…” Maloney continues.
“Oh, yes. That one…” he concedes, before Caldwell, who played in the same FA Cup-winning team at Wigan as Maloney, takes him away for further analysis.
In the first-team coaching office there is a huge whiteboard with the name of every player on it. It’s used to monitor development and communication between the coaches.
Caldwell shares a story about how his old boss Gordon Strachan would identify his weakness (pace) and then find ways to bring out his strengths (his ability to read the game, cover danger and distribute the ball effectively). The Hibs staff are trying a similar approach and are noticing steady improvements. Three players are name-checked as making significant progress in recent weeks, purely because they know what is required from them.
Maloney explains how, when he was a player, all he ever wanted was clarity from his manager.
“I hope I give that to my players.
“It’s one of the big challenges because every player is different. But I’m very open. If there’s ever any doubt, I hope they come to me.
“If they have clarity when they go out and play then they can show their talent and give me what I want from them and also improve as players.”
Later in the afternoon, as defensive actions are discussed, Caldwell returns into the Black Box Room. First-team coach Valerio Zuddas isn’t far behind.
“This guy is very passionate about the defensive line,” Caldwell says, locking eyes with Zuddas, and trying not to laugh. “He could explode at any minute!”
Maloney met Zuddas at the Cruyff Institute in Amsterdam when he was studying for a Master’s degree in coaching.
On the course, students ranged from Olympic swimmers to ballet dancers, so those with a football interest naturally stuck together.
Zuddas was studying Maurizio Sarri at Lazio, the Italian club where he also worked as a coach, and Maloney was keen to hear more.
“Our task on the first morning was to create a drawing of our journey,” Maloney says smiling.
“Valerio’s was so artistic and included five lines with different colours — some were straight, some were wavy — and he went into so much depth explaining it. I can’t draw. I think I did stick men, or something!
“I was really interested by Valerio and we struck up a good relationship. When I got the job here I called him straight up.”
Maloney also brought in former USA international Jon Busch as goalkeeping coach after connecting during his time at Chicago Fire (https://theathletic.com/team/fire/) in MLS.
Brian Doogan joined, too, as head of technical support. He has known Maloney for more than 20 years — longer than any of his other team Staff who remained from the former regime included Hibs’ Scottish Cup-winning captain David Gray.
“I love the people I work with, I really do,” Maloney says. “The staff here that I inherited are really positive. The schedule can be tough, really tough, but they want us to do well.”
First into the meeting room on matchday minus-three is Gormal. Overnight he’s put together a digestible 10-minute package for the team to view.
A giant print of the Easter Road stadium covers one side of the wall. The players sit down and listen as Maloney starts presenting. He uses a laser pen to point to areas on the big screen.
“Defenders, look at this,” he says. “It’s excellent and don’t underestimate your job as we try to penetrate the opposition box.”
His words are direct but thoughtful; there’s a compliment in so much of what he says. For months Maloney has been loading his young group with information about specific movements and actions.
“Look, we’ve worked hard on this and you’ve taken it into the game, well done,” he continues.
One department of the team is asked, collectively, to pay closer attention to a specific demand. A handful of clips show where they are going wrong but are then followed up with an example of how to do it right.
“Please, please, please, if any of you don’t understand, just ask,” Maloney says before wrapping things up and heading out for the most intense training session of the week; a 90-minute workout again aimed at becoming better in attack.
Today, the size of the training area has increased and Maloney asks his players: “Can you do what we’ve asked under some real pressure?”
Blue skies have been replaced with a cold wind. There’s drizzle in the air but no room for hiding from the elements. A combative 10-vs-10 game will be the final test. Maloney, Caldwell and Gray go over and over the same instructions, drilling into players the exact requirements.
Do they have any freedom on a matchday?
“Freedom within the structure,” Maloney says.
“It’s how I see it. There are things that are very structured but I want to see their talent.
“They should hopefully know where their team-mates are. They should know it’s their team-mates’ jobs to get the ball into certain areas, but everything within that is to let the player show the talent.
“There’s a million ways to play this game and I want them to have a bit of freedom and enjoy it.”
One player who catches the eye is Elias Melkersen, the 19-year-old forward who scored both goals for Hibs in the win at Motherwell. He was Maloney’s first signing from FK Bodo/Glimt and has a terrific attitude. Not only does he stay behind for additional one-to-one practice with Caldwell, who tends to work closely with the strikers, he also helps staff collect balls and pack away equipment.
Kevin Dabrowski, the Polish goalkeeper who is the understudy to former Arsenal stopper Matt Macey (https://theathletic.com/player/scottish-premiership/hibernian-fc/matthew-ryan-macey/), is one of the hardest and dedicated workers in the group. Last week he packed donation boxes in support of the war in Ukraine and sent them off to his homeland.
It’s 4pm and Hanlon shakes hands with Dabrowski next to the coffee machine in the canteen. “Are you still here, big man?” asks the skipper, who has just finished collecting the fines for misplaced cutlery and unattended training kit. It shouldn’t be a surprise any more, as staff explain how he’s always the last man standing.
The players here are so keen to learn and with that attitude Hibs are in a good position to kick on in the SPL if they can work on ways to start scoring a little more often.
There will be some down time for the players and additional rest during the international break.
Up until the middle of December, Maloney fully expected to be a part of the Belgium camp but the opportunity to manage Hibs was “too good to turn
Gormal worked at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers when Maloney was also doing his apprenticeship and his knowledge is impressive. Their connection is strong — it has to be when they work so closely together.
A loud knock at the door shifts attention.
Assistant Gary Caldwell peers in as the light quickly brightens up the room. “Fly on the Wings of Love” is playing in the gym nearby.
“Good timing,” Maloney says, as one of his young players also comes into view.
“You should have gambled here,” the manager says, pointing to a clip of an attacking phase on the screen.
“Where?” the player asks.
“Here…” Maloney continues.
“Oh, yes. That one…” he concedes, before Caldwell, who played in the same FA Cup-winning team at Wigan as Maloney, takes him away for further analysis.
In the first-team coaching office there is a huge whiteboard with the name of every player on it. It’s used to monitor development and communication between the coaches.
Caldwell shares a story about how his old boss Gordon Strachan would identify his weakness (pace) and then find ways to bring out his strengths (his ability to read the game, cover danger and distribute the ball effectively). The Hibs staff are trying a similar approach and are noticing steady improvements. Three players are name-checked as making significant progress in recent weeks, purely because they know what is required from them.
Maloney explains how, when he was a player, all he ever wanted was clarity from his manager.
“I hope I give that to my players.
“It’s one of the big challenges because every player is different. But I’m very open. If there’s ever any doubt, I hope they come to me.
“If they have clarity when they go out and play then they can show their talent and give me what I want from them and also improve as players.”
Later in the afternoon, as defensive actions are discussed, Caldwell returns into the Black Box Room. First-team coach Valerio Zuddas isn’t far behind.
“This guy is very passionate about the defensive line,” Caldwell says, locking eyes with Zuddas, and trying not to laugh. “He could explode at any minute!”
Maloney met Zuddas at the Cruyff Institute in Amsterdam when he was studying for a Master’s degree in coaching.
On the course, students ranged from Olympic swimmers to ballet dancers, so those with a football interest naturally stuck together.
Zuddas was studying Maurizio Sarri at Lazio, the Italian club where he also worked as a coach, and Maloney was keen to hear more.
“Our task on the first morning was to create a drawing of our journey,” Maloney says smiling.
“Valerio’s was so artistic and included five lines with different colours — some were straight, some were wavy — and he went into so much depth explaining it. I can’t draw. I think I did stick men, or something!
“I was really interested by Valerio and we struck up a good relationship. When I got the job here I called him straight up.”
Maloney also brought in former USA international Jon Busch as goalkeeping coach after connecting during his time at Chicago Fire (https://theathletic.com/team/fire/) in MLS.
Brian Doogan joined, too, as head of technical support. He has known Maloney for more than 20 years — longer than any of his other team Staff who remained from the former regime included Hibs’ Scottish Cup-winning captain David Gray.
“I love the people I work with, I really do,” Maloney says. “The staff here that I inherited are really positive. The schedule can be tough, really tough, but they want us to do well.”
First into the meeting room on matchday minus-three is Gormal. Overnight he’s put together a digestible 10-minute package for the team to view.
A giant print of the Easter Road stadium covers one side of the wall. The players sit down and listen as Maloney starts presenting. He uses a laser pen to point to areas on the big screen.
“Defenders, look at this,” he says. “It’s excellent and don’t underestimate your job as we try to penetrate the opposition box.”
His words are direct but thoughtful; there’s a compliment in so much of what he says. For months Maloney has been loading his young group with information about specific movements and actions.
“Look, we’ve worked hard on this and you’ve taken it into the game, well done,” he continues.
One department of the team is asked, collectively, to pay closer attention to a specific demand. A handful of clips show where they are going wrong but are then followed up with an example of how to do it right.
“Please, please, please, if any of you don’t understand, just ask,” Maloney says before wrapping things up and heading out for the most intense training session of the week; a 90-minute workout again aimed at becoming better in attack.
Today, the size of the training area has increased and Maloney asks his players: “Can you do what we’ve asked under some real pressure?”
Blue skies have been replaced with a cold wind. There’s drizzle in the air but no room for hiding from the elements. A combative 10-vs-10 game will be the final test. Maloney, Caldwell and Gray go over and over the same instructions, drilling into players the exact requirements.
Do they have any freedom on a matchday?
“Freedom within the structure,” Maloney says.
“It’s how I see it. There are things that are very structured but I want to see their talent.
“They should hopefully know where their team-mates are. They should know it’s their team-mates’ jobs to get the ball into certain areas, but everything within that is to let the player show the talent.
“There’s a million ways to play this game and I want them to have a bit of freedom and enjoy it.”
One player who catches the eye is Elias Melkersen, the 19-year-old forward who scored both goals for Hibs in the win at Motherwell. He was Maloney’s first signing from FK Bodo/Glimt and has a terrific attitude. Not only does he stay behind for additional one-to-one practice with Caldwell, who tends to work closely with the strikers, he also helps staff collect balls and pack away equipment.
Kevin Dabrowski, the Polish goalkeeper who is the understudy to former Arsenal stopper Matt Macey (https://theathletic.com/player/scottish-premiership/hibernian-fc/matthew-ryan-macey/), is one of the hardest and dedicated workers in the group. Last week he packed donation boxes in support of the war in Ukraine and sent them off to his homeland.
It’s 4pm and Hanlon shakes hands with Dabrowski next to the coffee machine in the canteen. “Are you still here, big man?” asks the skipper, who has just finished collecting the fines for misplaced cutlery and unattended training kit. It shouldn’t be a surprise any more, as staff explain how he’s always the last man standing.
The players here are so keen to learn and with that attitude Hibs are in a good position to kick on in the SPL if they can work on ways to start scoring a little more often.
There will be some down time for the players and additional rest during the international break.
Up until the middle of December, Maloney fully expected to be a part of the Belgium camp but the opportunity to manage Hibs was “too good to turn